THE DISEASES OF CATS, AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



371 



the eyelids do not become separated, or only 

 become so at one part, so that surgical inter- 

 vention may be necessary to separate the 

 partially or completely closed lids. 



I have, on several occasions, seen kittens 

 born with their eyes open, but have not been 

 able to satisfy myself if the condition was due 

 to any prolongation of the period of utero- 

 gestation. 



The eyelids are sometimes the seat of ring- 

 worm, mange, follicular scabies, or eczema, and 

 as these affections are usually present in other 

 parts of the body, they can easily be diagnosed 

 by means of the naked eye or the microscope. 

 The best remedy for any of these diseases, 

 when situated on the eyelids, is : 



Yellow oxide of mercury 

 White vaseline 



4 grams, 

 i ounce. 



These ingredients are to be well mixed by a 

 competent chemist, and a small piece, about 

 the size of a pea, is to be well rubbed on the 

 affected part or parts every morning. Care 

 must be taken that no superfluous ointment is 

 left on the hairs, as most cats will rub it off 

 with their paws, which they will immediately 

 lick, and so may become poisoned. 



The eyelids occasionally become turned in- 

 wards, so that the hairs covering it rub on the 

 glassy portion of the eyeball, and frequently 

 set up irritation, inflammation, and opacity, 

 and a copious discharge of tears. This is 

 termed entropium, and requires an operation. 

 When the eyelid is turned outwards from the 

 eyeball, the condition takes the name of 

 ectropium, which rarely calls for any inter- 

 ference, as it does not injure the animal, even 

 if it is unsightly. A very rare anomaly of the 

 eyelid in the cat is when the hairs of it take 

 ' an unusual direction, and rub on the glassy 

 portion of the eyeball, and, like entropium, set 

 up irritation, inflammation, and smokiness of 

 it. This is termed trichiasis, and requires an 

 operation to remedy it. 



The eyelids are also subject to wounds, 

 bruises, abscesses, warts, and Meibomian cysts, 

 which do not call for special attention. The 

 third eyelid, haw, or membrana nictitans 

 though, as before stated, it is not so well 

 developed in the cat as in some other animals- 

 is liable, in debilitating diseases, such as dis- 

 temper, anaemia, etc., to protrude persistently 

 over the inner part of the front of the eyeball. 

 It will, however, resume its normal position 

 as the cat regains strength, and should, there- 



fore, on no account be removed. It frequently 

 becomes inflamed during distemper, catarrh, 

 or ophthalmia, or from injuries, but should 

 not in these cases be removed, as if it were a 

 foreign body or new growth ; a simple soothing, 

 antiseptic lotion will put it right as the original 

 disease abates and strength is regained. 



Frequently in the cat, as in the dog, just 

 below the inner angle of the eye socket an 

 abscess forms. This is due to pus in the cavity 

 of the jaw bones, called also the antrum of 

 highmore,_above the teeth, and is generally 

 caused by some disturbance or disease of the 

 tooth. When the tooth immediately below 

 the abscess is removed, and the abscess cavity 

 is washed out with some astringent, recovery 

 usually takes place. It should, however, be 

 borne in mind that the teeth below the eye 

 are frequently diseased, and no abscess is 

 caused by them. 



A fistula may form immediately below the 

 inner angle of the eyelids. It results from an 

 abscess which opens, and then heals up, to 

 break out again. This process goes on until a 

 permanent opening or fistula remains, from 

 which a discharge of matter issues. This is 

 connected with some disturbance, or even 

 disease, of the tooth or teeth immediately 

 below it. When the tooth or teeth are re- 

 moved, and the opening occasionally well 

 washed out with some astringent, it heals up, 

 and no further trouble is seen. However, it 

 is sometimes due to tuberculosis, and the 

 mere removal of teeth does not do away with 

 the fistula. It is mostly mistaken for a 

 lachrymal fistula. 



Sometimes the conjunctiva, or the pinkish 

 membrane lining the inner surface of the eye- 

 lids and the front of the eyeball, becomes the 

 seat of disease. 



A non-inflammatory swelling of it is seen, 

 due to an infiltration of serum. This is called 

 chemosis. It has the appearance of a palish 

 pink swelling all round the eye, which seems 

 sunken in the orbit but does not seem in- 

 flamed or painful. It may quickly disappear 

 on dropping a few minims of a 4 per cent, 

 solution of cocaine hydrochloride into the 

 eye. It is liable to recur at some future 

 time. 



Conjunctivitis, or inflammation of the mem- 

 brane covering the inner lining of the eyes and 

 the front of the eyeball, is also termed external 

 or simple ophthalmia. It is frequently seen in 

 the cat during distemper, diphtheria, catarrh, 



